There’s nothing better than when artists find each other and start working together. We’ve seen it before with bands like ALTAMULLAN ROAD, which features the dual vocal talents of ethereal faeries Johanna Iivanainen and Johanna Kurkela. Yesterday, we finally got a taste of the upcoming album by LAURENNE / LOUHIMO, featuring the epic heavy metal vocal duo of Netta Laurenne (SMACKBOUND) and Noora Louhimo (BATTLE BEAST).
Premiering its video yesterday via Helsingin Sanomat, LAURENNE / LOUHIMO immediately unleash a kickass storm of the purest heavy metal I’ve personally ever heard either of them let loose. As BATTLE BEAST runs a bit closer to synthwave these days and SMACKBOUND toed the line between hard rock and heavy metal with its various genre dabbling, it was hard to predict what these two would sound like. The answer, apparently, is pure JUDAS PRIEST -style heavy fucking metal!
Opening with some slick drums, these women let us have it right away by belting out “FIRE” in a multi-layered wail. The dynamic movement of the song flows fabulously as Noora takes the first verse and Netta takes the second. Their voices are so similar in many ways that they blend into one most of the time, but there are small nuances that let the listener know that you’ve not just got one powerhouse in here, but two!
Beyond the amazing vocals (that, let’s be honest, we expected), the song actually shows some serious chops from the band, with some truly great riffing and soloing and a really heavy rhythm section to back these two up. The absolutely sick guitar solo was done by Sammy Elbanna of LOST SOCIETY fame, so you know it’ll melt your face. The music video was released via Frontiers Records srl and features the duo in black and white, ablaze in their own passion and light, but remind us at the end that it’s all about love with a shared moment of tenderness.
So what happens when you combine two voices, an epic guitar soloist, and a passion for songwriting and spreading the gospel of love? The answer: a pretty fucking kickass heavy metal song, sure to please fans of these vocalists, as well as fans of pure heavy fucking metal. If this is the first single, I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to hear what’s next!
Want to learn more about the single? We asked LAURENNE/LOUHIMO some questions about it on IGTV! Also check out our Spotify playlist, where you can find the most recent singles from rising Finnish bands.
